HUNDRED ACRE TRACT
Distance: .8 miles
Begin: City Hall
(Corner of Church Street
and Fitzhugh Street)
End: City Hall
On this walking tour, you’ll discover
the 100-Acre Tract, Rochester’s
oldest “neighborhood,” and see the
Court House Square, now the
home of the Monroe County Office
Building and Rochester’s former
city hall.
In 1803, Ebenezer Allan turned over the title of
100 acres alongside the west bank of the
Genesee River to William Fitzhugh, Charles
Carroll, and Colonel Nathaniel Rochester. In
1811, Colonel Rochester subdivided the parcel
into building lots, reserving the parcel in the
center as the Court House Square. In 1817
when Rochesterville was incorporated as a
village, the former 100-Acre Tract became the
center of government and commerce as well as
a residential neighborhood.
The first stop on the tour is City Hall (old
Federal Building), 30 Church Street. Built
between 1885 and 1889, the Federal Building
is one of the three 19th century government
buildings remaining in Rochester. This superb
example of Richardsonian Romanesque
architecture is characterized by the massive
walls, arches and towers that dominate its
brown sandstone exterior.
In contrast, the building’s interior is defined by
delicate detail and embellished with fine
materials. The elegant three-story atrium, with
its cast-iron work and marble columns, is one
of the most beautiful interiors in the county and
should not be missed. (The building is open to
the public weekdays, 9-5.)
Originally constructed as the federal office and
courthouse building, the old Federal Building
has housed a number of government
operations including taxation, customs, draft
boards, and, until 1930, Rochester’s main post
office. In 1973, the U.S. government offices
were relocated to a new building on State
Street and for three years this building
remained vacant.
The City of Rochester acquired the building in
1975 for $1.00, and started renovation and
construction of a 45,000-square-foot addition.
This award-winning project, honored by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation, was
completed in 1978 and shortly thereafter, the
City’s administration offices moved into the
“new” City Hall.
From your vantage point at the corner of
Church and Fitzhugh Streets, look north
along Fitzhugh.
You’ll see the Downtown United Presbyterian
Church, 113-121 N. Fitzhugh Street. Originally
called “Brick Church,” this building, designed by
Andrew Jackson Warner, was constructed in
1860, in the Romanesque Revival style,
characterized by the round-arched window and
door openings. It replaced a small brick structure
erected on this site in 1827. In 1903, a fire in the
lantern factory directly opposite the church spread
to the church’s tall wooden spire, which then fell
through the burning roof. Only the building’s side
walls and two large iron columns supporting its
interior corners survived.
J. Foster Warner, son of A. J. Warner, was hired
as the architect when the church was rebuilt
along the same lines as the original, with just one
important exterior change: the Gothic steeples
were replaced with two square Italianate towers
to match the rest of the structure’s Romanesque
style. Also, during the reconstruction, Tiffany
stained-glass windows were installed in the
sanctuary. In 1973-74, three downtown
Presbyterian congregations merged into one and
the name was changed to Downtown United
Presbyterian Church.
Andrew Jackson Warner (1833-1910) and his
son, J. Foster Warner (1859-1937) designed
many of Rochester’s most enduring 19th-century
buildings. Each was able to work successfully in
the varied architectural styles that became
fashionable during their long, notable careers.
Walk south on Fitzhugh Street toward the
intersection of East Main Street.
Notice the tall cream-colored Neo-Classical
Revival building on your right. It is called City
Place, now a Monroe County office building, 50
W. Main Street. Originally the DuffyMcInnerney Department Store, this 1907
building has a distinctive terra cotta exterior.
Now look across Main Street at the
Monroe County Office Building, 39 West
Main Street.
The Monroe County Office Building is the
former Monroe County Court House, built in
1894-96. It is the third courthouse on this site.
Designed by J. Foster Warner, it replaced a
smaller courthouse erected in 1850-51. The
present building, representing the NeoClassical revival of the 1890s, is a handsome
example of the Italian Renaissance style, with
its granite exterior featuring round-arched
windows and heavy hood moldings. Look up at
the wood statue of “Justice” in the front niche of
the building, which was originally carved for
and located atop the dome of the second
county courthouse.
Walk inside and see the sky lit central
courtyard, a model of historic civic grandeur. It
is open to the public weekdays from 9-5.
Before you leave, look for the cornerstone with
the three construction dates.
Cross Main Street and continue along the
east side of Fitzhugh Street. You’ll soon
be in front of the Academy Building, 13 S.
Fitzhugh Street.
The Academy Building (originally the
Rochester Free Academy) was constructed in
1872-73 and represents the latter phase of the
Gothic Revival in the 19th century. A major
work of local architect Andrew Jackson
Warner, it is a masterpiece of sophisticated
design and expert craftsmanship. Look up and
enjoy the visual delight of the elaborate
windows and arches, floral-incised panels, and
delicately carved colonnettes.
The Academy is the fourth school building on
this site, which was deeded to the School
District in 1831. It was the only high school in
the city for 30 years, became the Municipal
Court and Education Building in 1904, and
served as headquarters for the Board of
Education from 1926-79. In 1981, the building’s
new owners transformed its stark interior into
office space with a beautiful and dramatically
sky lit central atrium.
Next to the Academy Building is St. Luke
& St. Simon Cyrene Church, 17 S.
Fitzhugh Street.
St. Luke’s/St. Simone Cyrene Episcopal
Church was built beside the new Erie Canal in
1824 and is the oldest surviving public building
in Rochester. (Try to imagine Broad Street as a
body of water.) Designed by New York
architect Josiah R. Brady, it is an unusually
early example of 19th-century Gothic Revival
style. Although its rectangular plan,
pedimented gable and slightly projecting tower
conform to the then-popular New England
meetinghouse style, its pointed windows,
pinnacles and many interior details are of
Gothic origin. In 1988, St. Luke’s, Rochester’s
oldest Episcopal congregation, combined with
St. Simon Cyrene, the city’s only AfricanAmerican Episcopal congregation.
Directly across the street from St. Luke’s
Church (at the corner of Broad and
Fitzhugh Streets) is Irving Place, 30
Broad Street, Rochester’s first city hall.
Irving Place is a handsome five-story building
with a bell tower, designed by Andrew Jackson
Warner and built in 1873-74. Originally its back
door (now the front door on Broad Street)
opened onto the Erie Canal. The building was
constructed of Lockport Greystone with a
smooth sandstone trim. The 6,230-pound bell
in the square tower was cast in 1851 and
originally hung in the second County Court
House dome. Old City Hall, like the Academy
Building, is characterized by its angularity and
vertical feeling, but the design is a more
simplified Gothic Style.
The exterior has had few alterations over the
years. The main entrance was removed in
1894 to accommodate the connecting arcade
of the County Building to the north, and the
pointed spire is gone from the bell tower.
Originally, there was a small park between the
County Court House and old City Hall.
When erected, the interior consisted of four
stories with a large auditorium on the top floor.
An additional fifth floor was constructed within
the auditorium space prior to the turn of the
century. City government eventually outgrew
the 19th-century building, and its offices were
relocated in 1977 to the newly renovated
Federal Building on Church Street. After being
vacant for three years, old City Hall was
rehabilitated by a private investor.
Standing on the corner of Broad and
Fitzhugh Streets looking south, you’ll
discover a curious sight partially hidden
by trees: a graceful residential structure
surrounded by large office buildings and
the entrance to a public garage.
This is the Ebenezer Watts House, 47 S.
Fitzhugh Street. Built between 1825 and 1827
for Ebenezer Watts, Rochester’s first hardware
merchant, this house served as the family
homestead until 1874. A blend of late Federal
and early Greek Revival details, it is an
example of this transition era of architecture.
Monroe County has created a plaza in front of
the building and uses this oldest residential
building in downtown as a conference center.
Turn right onto Broad Street and walk
until you come to the Plymouth Avenue
intersection. Then turn left (south) on
Plymouth Avenue and continue walking
on the east side of the street until you
come to Spring Street.
You’ll be standing directly across from the
Central Church of Christ, 101 S. Plymouth
Avenue. With its tall spire and slate roof, this
English Gothic church once sheltered the
oldest religious congregation in Rochester.
This was the third house of worship for the first
Presbyterian Church, which was founded in
1815. The previous church was located on
Fitzhugh Street until it was destroyed by fire in
1869. The congregation sold that parcel to the
City, which built old City Hall, and moved here
to the South Plymouth Avenue site.
Constructed of Albion and Medina stone, the
present church was designed by Andrew
Jackson Warner and erected in 1871. The
interior is notable for its Tiffany windows, as
well as its black walnut paneling and pews.
The Bevier Memorial Building, located on the
site of Colonel Nathaniel Rochester’s 1823-24
home (see plaque on corner of building), was
erected in 1908 for Rochester Institute of
Technology’s School of Fine and Applied Arts.
Designed by noted Rochester architect Claude
Bragdon, it is highlighted by extensive blue, red
and green ceramic decoration, a Bragdon
trademark. After RIT moved to its new campus
in 1968, the building was used as a community
center for a few years, and then remained
vacant for several years. It has since been
rehabilitated for office use.
In 1974, the First Presbyterian Church merged
with two other downtown congregations and
relocated to the Downtown Presbyterian
Church on N. Fitzhugh Street. Since 1976, the
Central Church of Christ has occupied the
building.
To continue the regular tour: Directly across S.
Washington Street is the Brewster-Burke
House, 130 Spring Street.
Cross Plymouth Avenue and walk west on
Spring Street. At the corner of Spring and
Washington Streets, you’ll see the Bevier
Memorial Building, 42 S. Washington St.
Optional: To visit the Corn Hill Historic District
now, walk across the pedestrian bridge on your
left.
Almost from the beginning of our city’s history,
this neighborhood has been one of Rochester’s
favorite residential districts. Protected by the
Genesee River to the east, the Erie Canal,
which followed the present route of Broad
Street, and the Genesee Valley Canal (now
Ford Street), the area offered early 19th
century Rochesterians the same advantages
residents still enjoy today—buffered from the
heavy commercial traffic of downtown, but still
close enough to make a stroll to work or shop a
pleasant and convenient experience.
Millers and merchants built impressive homes
here during Rochester’s first growth after the
building of the Erie Canal (1820s and 1830s)
while real estate investors built more modest
dwellings for sale or rent to the city’s booming
population. The neighborhood was first known
by its political designation as the Third Ward,
but as earlier cottages were replaced by more
substantial dwellings in later architectural
styles, Rochesterians dubbed it the “Ruffled
Shirt District” or the “Silk Stocking District.”
Known for its architectural diversity and sense
of style, the old Third Ward was also favored
for its congeniality and commitment to
improving life in the city. Behind many of these
historic doors were held the founding meetings
of such important educational and civic
institutions as the University of Rochester and
Rochester General Hospital.
The Corn Hill neighborhood is home to a
variety of architectural styles including Greek
Revival (1830s- 1850s), Gothic Revival (1840s1870s), Italianate (1850s-1880s), and Queen
Anne (1880s-1900). The Hoyt-Potter House,
Landmark Society headquarters, 133 South
Fitzhugh Street, was purchased in 1991. It
houses the Society’s education center and the
Wenrich Memorial Library. Together with the
adjacent Campbell-Whittlesey House Museum,
the two mid-19th-century Greek Revival
houses form the Landmark Center. The
Campbell-Whittlesey House represents an
upper middle-class household that reflects the
Greek Revival style of decoration and the
effects of the Erie Canal during Rochester’s
“boomtown” years between 1825 and 1845.
The Brewster-Burke House is a distinguished
example of the mid-19th-century transition from
the classical to the romantic style of
architecture. It is notable for its fine proportions
and rich details, drawing from Moorish,
Egyptian and Italian influences. The house was
built in 1849 for Henry R. Brewster, a
Rochester insurance agent. In 1866, the
property was conveyed to the William Burke
family who occupied it until the early 20th
century. Subsequent occupants included the
Rochester Public Health Nursing Association
and the RIT Graphic Arts School. The
Landmark Society purchased the property in
1970 to ensure its preservation, and it served
as Landmark Society headquarters until 1991.
Look next door to the Jonathan Child
House.
Next to the Brewster-Burke house is the
Jonathan Child House, 33 S. Washington
Street. Prominently located near the Erie Canal
(now Broad Street), this Greek Revival
mansion was constructed in 1837 for Jonathan
Child, Rochester’s first mayor. With its five
Corinthian columns and rich detail, it is the
most elaborate example of Greek Revival
architecture in Rochester. The entablature and
the pediment are finely detailed with Greek
ornament, as are the window lintels and the
matching side entrance porticos.
In the early 20th century, this former residence
was used as a clubhouse and later as a
church. In 1957, the Landmark Society
purchased the property to save it from
demolition. It became a primary example of
adapting a historic residence to serve a
contemporary business use. The rear addition
was added in 1972.
Now you’re at the corner of S.
Washington and Broad Streets. Cross
Broad Street and continue one block
north to W. Main Street. Look diagonally
left and note a row of contiguous
buildings that form the southern border of
the Bridge Square Historic District along
The Cascade Historic District, officially the
Bridge Square National Register Historic
District, once had two lift bridges that carried
the roadway over the Erie Canal (Broad and W.
Main Streets). Featuring industrial and
warehouse buildings, many now converted to
new uses, the district’s most significant building
is the United States Hotel, built in 1826 in
anticipation of the need for lodging for travelers
and crews brought to Rochesterville by the
newly opened Erie Canal. It is downtown’s
oldest surviving commercial building and also a
representative example of Federal-style
commercial architecture that once flourished in
Rochester.
Turn right on Main Street and walk one
block to the corner of Main and Plymouth
Avenue. Turn left on Plymouth Avenue.
You’ll see Hochstein Memorial Music School
(the former Central Presbyterian Church) at 50
N. Plymouth Avenue. Constructed in 1856 for
the Central Presbyterian Church, this building
is architecturally significant as a fine example
of Romanesque Revival architecture. The
church was constructed in two parts: the first
(south) part was completed in 1856; the
second (north) part, which houses the
sanctuary, was completed in 1890.
In 1973, when three Presbyterian churches
merged, this building became the property of
the Downtown United Presbyterian Church. In
1978, the Hochstein Memorial Music School, a
long-established Rochester music institution,
acquired the building. Since 1920, the
Hochstein School has provided high-quality
music education to adults and children
regardless of family income.
Turn right on Church Street to return to
City Hall and complete the tour.
The Landmark Society of Western New York
133 South Fitzhugh Street
Rochester, NY 14608
For further tours, information, and programs please visit:
www.landmarksociety.org